Automatic bookmark

ABSTRACT

A bookmark made of a single blank of flexibly elastic sheet material having leg portions that extend from mounting arms at an acute angle. The leg portions are joined at a central fold and are received between the leaves of a book when the arms are adhesively bonded to the outside sheets or inside of the covers adjacent the back binding.

United States Patent Hawkins [54] AUTOMATIC BOOKMARK [72] Inventor: Beniamin K. Hawkins, P.O. Box

5097, Greenville, Miss. 38703 [22] Filed: Oct. 23, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 868,804

[52] US. Cl. ..281/42 [5 1] Int. Cl ..B42d 3/12, B42d 9/00 [58] Field of Search ..281/42; 116/119 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,984,205 5/1961 Richards ..281/42 X 3,127,195 3/1964 Hawkins ..281/42 51 Oct. 10,1972

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 28,308 1906 Great Britain ..281/42 785 1912 GreatBritain ..281/42 Primary Examiner-Jerome Schnall Attorney-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A bookmark made of a single blank of flexibly elastic sheet material having leg portions that extend from mounting arms at an. acute angle. The leg portions are 4 joined at a central fold and are received between the leaves of a book when the arms are adhesively bonded to the outside sheets or inside of the covers adjacent the back binding.

2 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEU B 10 I973 3,697,100

Benjamin K. Hawkins INVENTOR.

BY WW 8M PATENTEDUCT 10 m2 3.697.100

sum 2 OF 2 Fig. 7

Benjamin K. Hawkins 1X VENTOR.

AUTOMATIC BOOKMARK This invention relates generally to bookmarks and more particularly tobookmarks that do not require manual removal and reinsertion by the user after it is operatively mounted in the book.

Automatic bookmarks of the type to which the present invention relates, have heretofore been proposed such as disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,127,195, issued Mar. 31, 1964. Bookmarks of this type have not however been commercially adopted because of manufacturing costs and functional difficulties. The automatic bookmark of the present invention is therefore a significant improvement over prior art bookmarks such as disclosed in my aforementioned patent in that it avoids operational and installational drawbacks thereof as well as to provide an economically feasible bookmark.

In accordance with the present invention, the bookmark which is made from a folded blank of flexibly elastic sheet material, includes a pair of laterally spaced arms adhesively bonded on the outside of the book leaves adjacent to the back binding of the book. These mounting arms project above the top edges of the book leaves and are joined to elongated legs that extend at an acute angle forwardly from the mounting arms. The legs are joined at a foldforming the forward end of the bookmark which is received between the leaves of the book. Since the legs extend at an acute angle to the arms, no projecting inserts are required simplifying manufacture of the bookmark. Further, since the insert portion of the bookmark that is received between the book leaves are formed by the forward end portions of the legs themselves, advantage is taken of the lateral flexibility of the entire leg portions thereby accommodating lateral displacement of the forward portions of the legs that are flattened between the leaves. A more reliably functioning and endurable bookmark is thereby realized.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the installation of one embodiment of an automatic bookmark in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the bookmark of FIG. 1 itself.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bookmark of FIG. 2 in an unfolded condition.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a book with the bookmark of FIG. 2 installed therein.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the book and bookmark of FIG. 4 marking a central portion of the book.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view showing the bookmark marking a lateral portion of the book.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a book with another form of bookmark installed therein.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the book and bookmark shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view of the book and bookmark shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a bookmark of the type shown in FIGS. 7-9.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the bookmark of FIG. 10 in an unfolded condition.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a modified formof the bookmark shown in FIGS. 7-11.

FIG. 13 is a partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 13-13 in FIG. 12.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 illustrates a typical book generally denoted by reference numeral 10 with which the automatic bookmark 12 is associated. The book 10 is conventional and includes end covers 14 between which a plurality of book leaves 16 are disposed. The book leaves 16 together with the outside cover sheets 18 are bound in the usual fashion at the back binding 20 adjacent to which the automatic bookmark 12 is mounted.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bookmark 12 is made of a single blank of sheet material which may be any well known plastic having suitable properties. The sheet material blank includes two symmetrical sections 22 on either side of a central fold 24 forming a forward insert end of the bookmark. The fold or forward end 24 joins a pair of elongated legs 26 respectively associated with each bookmark section 22. The legs 26 may be formed between generally parallel edges 28 and 30 that terminate at mounting arms 32 extending generally parallel to the fold 24. The leg 26 and arm 32 of each bookmark section are connected to form an acute angle 34 therebetween. This angular relationship between the arms and the legs is critical as will be explained hereafter.

In order to mount the bookmark in the book 10, the mounting arms 34 include portions coated with a suitable adhesive 36 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the illustrated embodiment, and adhesive coating is on the confronting sides of the arms in the folded condition of the bookmark as shown in FIG. 2 so that the bookmark may be bonded to the outside cover sheets 18. Other suitable bonding means may of course be utilized. Further, prior to installation and use of the bookmark as illustrated, a removable cover sheet may be placed over the adhesive portions 36 of the mounting arms.

The adhesive portions 36 of the mounting arms, as more clearly seen in FIG. 3, are spaced from the intersection of the arms with the legs and are aligned with the fold 24. This alignment of the adhesive portions 36 with the fold 24 is made possible because of the acute angular relationship of the legs to the arms. Further, the adhesive portions are spaced from the intersections of the arms with the legs so that the intersection will be spaced above the top edges 38 of the book leaves as more clearly seen in FIG. 4. Thus, with the mounting arms projecting from the book leaves perpendicular to the edges 38 adjacent the back binding portion 20 of the book, the legs will extend forwardly and downwardly between the leaves. The forward tip sections 40 of the legs are therefore flattened between the leaves and diverge toward the laterally spaced mounting arms 32, as more clearly seen in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6.

It will be apparent that the manufacture of the bookmark will be economical since it may be made from a single folded blank having parallel edge mounting arms and legs. Because of the angular relationship between the arms and the legs, the forward end portions of the legs will be received between the leaves and form the BEST AVAILABLE COPY marking insert portion of the bookmark which will readily flip from one page to another between positions as respectively shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, for example, as the pages of the book are turned. This action occurs more reliably because the insert portion of the bookmark forms part of the elongated legs 26 by virtue of which the desired degree of lateral flexure is obtained necessary to accommodate lateral displacement between positions as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 without undue distortion of the bookmark and also without projections and formation of the bookmark from several pieces of sheet material.

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 11 illustrate another form of bookmark which is basically similar to the bookmark 12 of FIGS. 1-6 in the folded condition. Thus, the bookmark generally denoted by reference numeral 42 in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, like the bookmark 12 hereinbefore described, includes a pair of mounting arm portions 44 projecting upwardly on the outside of the book leaves 46 adjacent the back binding 48 of a book and flexible leg portions 50 extend forwardly and at an acute angle thereto in the folded condition so as to be received between the leaves 46 of the book. Unlike the bookmark 12 however, the bookmark 42 is folded from a straight longitudinal blank of elastically flexible material as shown in FIG. 11. A central fold 52 forms the forward end of the bookmark received between the book leaves while fold lines 54 each disposed at an acute angle greater than 45 with the parallel longitudinal edges 56 of the bookmark blank and define a pair of convex dihedral angles with respect to the upper sides of legs 50 in the folded condition of the bookmark. An adhesive coating 58 is applied to the mounting arm portions 44 as shown in FIG. 11 so that the mounting arms may be bonded to the outside leaves of the book.

The bookmark 42 when folded along fold lines 52 and 54 only, may be installed and utilized as shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. In some wider book installations, additional dihedral angle folds 60 may be made as shown in FIGS. and 11 in order to further accommodate lateral spacing between the leg portions 50 and the mounting arms 44. On the other hand, for books of narrower width no fold is formed along the fold edges 60. Instead, an adhesive coating 62 may be applied in a zone defined between the fold lines 54 and 60 so as to firmly hold the leg portions 50 against the mounting arm portions 44 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a book having covers to which leaves are bound at a back binding, a bookmark mounted for insertion between edge portions of the leaves and made from elastically flexible sheet material, comprising a pair of elongated arms bonded to said covers and projecting therefrom with their respective longitudinal axes generally perpendicular to said edge portions of the leaves adjacent to the back binding, and

a air of elon ted le s 'oined to o'ectin ends of said arfns with lon g itudina dxes extefd" J g mg at an acute angle from the longitudinal axes of said arms, said legs being joined to each other at a tip section spaced from the back binding between the leaves, the elastically flexible material being a single elongated rectangular blank having first and second opposite sides, a central fold transverse to the longitudinal axes of the arms and concave with respect to said first side to form the tip section, and a pair of dihedral angle folds longitudinally spaced from said central fold at each of the junctions of the arms and legs, each of the dihedral angles of said dihedral angle folds being convex with respect to said first side, said dihedral angle folds including first dihedral angle fold lines between each arm and leg each at an acute angle greater than 45 with the longitudinal axis of each arm, said junctions further including second dihedral angle fold lines adjacent to said first dihedral angle fold lines and at greater angles to the longitudinal axis of each arm than the first angle fold lines, the first and second dihedral angle fold lines intersecting each other at the back edge of the corresponding arm to define a generally triangular area between each arm and leg to accommodate flexing and lateral spacing between the arms and legs.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said dihedral angle folds define overlapping areas on said second side of said arms and legs which are bonded together with an adhesive. 

1. In combination with a book having covers to which leaves are bound at a back binding, a bookmark mounted for insertion between edge portions of the leaves and made from elastically flexible sheet material, comprising a pair of elongated arms bonded to said covers and projecting therefrom with their respective longitudinal axes generally perpendicular to said edge portions of the leaves adjacent to the back binding, and a pair of elongated legs joined to projecting ends of said arms with longitudinal axes extending at an acute angle from the longitudinal axes of said arms, said legs being joined to each other at a tip section spaced from the back binding between the leaves, the elastically flexible material being a single elongated rectangular blank having first and second opposite sides, a central fold transverse to the longitudinal axes of the arms and concave with respect to said first side to form the tip section, and a pair of dihedral angle folds longitudinally spaced from said central fold at each of the junctions of the arms and legs, each of the dihedral angles of said dihedral angle folds being convex with respect to said first side, said dihedral angle folds including first dihedral angle fold lines between each arm and leg each at an acute angle greater than 45* with the longitudinal axis of each arm, said junctions further including second dihedral angle fold lines adjacent to said first dihedral angle fold lines and at greater angles to the longitudinal axis of each arm than the first angle fold lines, the first and second dihedral angle fold lines intersecting each other at the back edge of the corresponding arm to define a generally triangular area between each arm and leg to accommodate flexing and lateral spacinG between the arms and legs.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said dihedral angle folds define overlapping areas on said second side of said arms and legs which are bonded together with an adhesive. 